The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1886. BUTTER FOR EXPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1381, 27 October 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1886. BUTTER FOR EXPORT.

If the farmers of New Zealand are to be lifted out of their difficulties and to secure for themselves a renewal of prosperous times, they must not be content to slip along anyhow in the old grooves, but must seek fresh outlets for their enterprise by the raising of other articles than grain merely, and seeking to supply the markets of other countries with articles which will command a good buying price. It is quite possible, we think, to achieve this very satisfactory result if only the requisite energy and intelligence are brought to bear, and in no direction is there apparently a more promising opening than in the preparation of dairy produce, butter, cheese and bacon, lor export. As regards the first of these 'articles, the Wellington Post writes as follows:—In a colony like New Zealand there should be no real difficulty in establishing an export trade in butter on a large and profitable scale. Attempts in this direction have been made from time to time, but without any very satisfactory results ; indeed, in some instances —and we may quote Wellington as a case in point—the experiments made have proved disappointing. A few years ago when it was being retailed at 3d per lb., and sold by auction at a considerably lower figure, two Wellington firms—Messrs H. F. Logan and E. H. Crease —commenced the tinning of butter on a rather large scale, with the object of finding markets for it in China and Japan, where, had it reached either of those countries in good condition it would have readily been disposed of at prices which would have given the enterprising exporters a large profit, But the shipments turned nut a failure, and we believe a considerable loss resulted. Nor is this singular, when the circumstances are taken into consideration, far the butter was purchased horn different private dairies, probably by no means as scrupulously clean as they might have bee’, and a variety of qualities were kegged-up together and then sent in for canning. It is a wellknown tact that the utmost cleanliness in every particular is required in the making and putting-up of butter, if it is required to be kept for any length of time, and this can only be secured in dairies established for the purpose and provided with every convenience. That butter can be so made and put up so as to resist the effects of climate and time for a lengthened period is clearly demonstrated by the fact that Danish butter made for export is found, after being several years in tin, to be as fresh and sweet as the day it was made. The butter export trade from Denmark has assumed enormous dimensions, and the chief supplies for China and Japan are obtained from that country. These remarks have been suggested by a sample of Danish butter which was forwarded to this office by Mr Thomas Gale, manager for Messrs Johnston and Co., of this city. This sample had been obtained from the steamer Whampoa, which recently arrived-here from China, and when examined was found to be wonderfully well preserved, its smell, taste, and consistency being excellent, although the butter had been in tin for three and half years, and had been through a variety of climates. It was, in fact, equal to the best butter sold in the local market. We are informed that no antiseptic is used in the preservation of the butter, the quality being due solely to scrupulous cleansing and careful tinning. The Whampoa uses nothing but Danish butter, and all the Chinese traders are, we believe, exclusively supplied with it. It is said to realise Irom is to is 6d per lb in China and Japan, and that the demand is more than equal to the supply. The question may fairly be asked, why should not New Zealand participate in this trade? Our climate and everything else, is in favor of establishing the industry on a large scale, and all that is apparently required is the c t iblishment of properly-constructed dairy fat ms in suitable localities, under efficient supervision. The failures of the past should only act as incentives to renewed exertions in the future, and if the subject is diligently studied, and the manufacture systematically carried out, there is no reason why another prosperous industry should not he added to those which aie already famous in this colony.”—-The foregoing should be full of interest to all those of outreaders who are engaged in agricultural pursuits, and the subject is indeed one well worthy of careful consideration, promising, as it does, an opening to enterprise which can and should be at once availed of.